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* The capitol building is situated in the center of Washington D.C., a dividing center for quadrants of the city.
* The inside of the Capitol building's dome features a handpainting of the heavens. President Washington is seated in the heavens next to an angel.
* There is a private subway system in the city exclusively for members of congress and their guests.
* The capitol building's basement featured four marble baths for members of congress' use. They were installed in 1859 yet only one remains. At the time of the bath installation many congressmen lived in boarding houses without running water and needed a place to bathe.
* Washington D.C. was founded in 1791 as a permanent capital city of the United States of America. It is not technically a state or city but a federal district.
* It is named for President Washington and Christopher Columbus (District of Columbus).
* Washington D.C. averages 39 inches of rain each year which is nearly three inches more than rainy Seattle.
* When the Washington Monument was completed in 1884 it was the tallest structure in the world (555' tall). It remains the tallest object in DC.
* The FDR Memorial features a bronze statue of the president with his dog, Fala.
* The Lincoln Memorial was built in the early 20th century. It features 36 columns, one for each of the states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death.
* George Washington and then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson created a contest for designs of the future capitol building. The winning architectural designer was to receive $500. The two men didn't like any of the seventeen submitted designs and used the design by William Thornton.
* The White House has been burned twice and nearly condemned once. It was burned by British forces in an attack in 1814. A second fire in 1929 gutted parts of the West Wing. During the Truman administration officials declared that the old building was close to collapse and a massive renovation was begun (finished in 1952).
* The original White House cornerstone has not been seen since 1792. Following the ceremonial placement of the cornerstone the ceremony goup apparently toasted the good news a bit too much and weren't able to find the cornerstone's location the very next day. Theories abound on this subject.